Translation: He is God, besides Whom there’s no other god The All Beneficent, The Most Merciful, The King, The Sovereign, The Most Holy, The Source of Peace, The Guarantor, The Guardian, The Almighty The Powerful, The Tremendous, The Creator, The Maker The Fashioner of Forms, The Ever Forgiving, The All Compelling Subduer, The Bestower, The Ever Providing The Opener, The All Knowing, The Restrainer, The Expander, The Abaser, The Exalter, The Giver of Honor, The Giver of Dishonor, The All Hearing, The All Seeing, The Judge, The Supremely Just, The Subtly Kind The All Aware, The Forbearing, The Magnificent, The All Forgiving, The Grateful, The Sublimely Exalted The Great, The Preserver, The Nourisher, The Reckoner, The Majestic, the Generous, The Watchful, The Responsive The All Encompassing, The Wise, The Loving, The All Glorious, The Raiser of the Dead, The Witness, The Real The Trustee, The Strong The Steadfast, The Protecting Friend, The All Praiseworthy, The Accounter The Initiator of all, The Reinstater Who Brings Back All, The Giver of Life, The Bringer of Death, The Ever Living, The Self Subsisting Sustainer of All, The Perceiver, The Magnificent, The All Inclusive One, The Indivisible, The Self Sufficient The All Powerful The All Determiner, The Expediter, The Delayer, The First, The Last, The Manifest, The Hidden, The Patron, The Self Exalted The Most Kind and Righteous, The Ever Relenting, The Avenger, The Pardoner, The Compassionate, The Owner of All Sovereignty, The Lord of Majesty and Generosity The Equitable, The Gatherer, The All Rich, The Enricher, The Withholder, The Distressor, The Benefactor, The Light, The Guide, The Originator, The Ever Enduring, The Inheritor of All, The Infallible Teacher The Timelessly Patient

Language Arabic

Album Take My Hand

Songwriter N/A

Inspiration This recitation of the 99 revealed names of God in the Islamic tradition was placed at the beginning of this album as a practical expression of BismiLlah ar-Rahman as-Rahim, the oft repeated formulaic beginning of all chapters of the Qur’an, save one. The phrase is popularly translated into English as “In the name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful“, and has been devoutly repeated by Muslims throughout the ages and across the continents at the beginning of any undertaking.

This recitation is also the very first one that I had ever done in a formal gathering of dhikr, at the December 1997 Deen Intensive Program at a winter campsite 2 hours north of Toronto. It was a clear, cold night. The multitudinous stars of an Ontario country sky lit up the crisp foot-high snow all around us. We were in a large, log cabin with subdued lighting, in the company of Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, Shaykh Jamal Dhahabi, Shaykh Abdullah Al Kadi, and Shaykh Talal Ahdab. Also present were Sidi Nazim Baksh, Sidi Abdul-Rehman Malik, and many devoted students of sacred sciences and spiritual matters in the Islamic tradition. My recitation was followed by Shaykh Jamal’s recitation of the second chapter of the Burdah, and Shaykh Hamza’s moving commentary on it. It was a very special evening that remains vivid in the minds of all those present.

A recording of my performance from that session is still floating around somewhere on the internet.